The only waitress on staff that night led us to a booth and handed us menus that looked like they had been printed twenty years ago. Well, at least it was clean, I told myself. Oakley was so excited to bring me here I decided to let my initial judgements go and have an open mind.

I perused the menu and realized that I was looking at entrees I actually wanted to eat instead of what had the least amount of calories. I still wasn’t going to order the lasagna, because come on, carb city, but the chicken piccata sounded pretty good.

As we were waiting for our food to come, Oakley reached his hand across the table and took mine. I could still smell the soap on his skin; it was clean, refreshing, and slightly intoxicating. He looked at me slyly and said, “You know, I seem to remember a certain promise to fuck you so good that all of Austin was going to hear you moan.”

“Oakley!” I yanked my hand back and laughed. It was definitely a tempting offer. But I was so impressed that he even remembered that night at all, let alone actually saying that to me, that my hooha forgot to be turned on.

Our food came and we ate, talked and laughed. I couldn’t even remember the last time I felt this comfortable with anyone, let alone a man. I didn’t want this dinner to end. And to top it off, my chicken was so fucking good I thought I might actually come right there at the table. I even tried a nibble of Oakley’s lasagna.

We skipped dessert, and by the time the check came, we had been there for almost two hours. Everybody was going to start wondering where Oakley was if we didn’t get to the party soon. After a little back and forth on who was going to pay, I let Oakley take care of it.

We walked to the party hand-in-hand. But a couple of blocks before we got there, I pulled my hand away. “I’m not sure I’m ready for everyone to see whatever this is. I’m your publicist. I don’t want to be the story. Business as usual?” I stuck out my hand to shake on it.

Oakley ignored my hand and pulled me in tight against his hard chest. He threaded his fingers through my hair and brought my mouth to meet his. And then he pulled away. It was a short, sweet kiss that left me wanting more.

“Business as usual,” he said with an impish grin. Holy hell, he was so hot. I followed him wordlessly to the party.

* * *

“Oakley! My man!” Dale yelled over the music. The party was in full swing, and there were at least three couples going at it in various spots in the trashed living room.